Sweet child of mine
by delicate-storm
Summary: This is a collection of stories from Bobby and Dean's past, how they  met and how Dean grew up around Bobby and the influence Bobby had on his life. Also features little bit of John and Sammy along the way and lots of drama. Set in an A/U
1. Part 1 Genesis

**Hello there, I began writing this to quench my own curiosity into Bobby and Dean's relationship it started off as something fun to do while I sat at my boring pay the bills desk job. I wrote the first part Genesis, passed, it along to my friend who is my constant reader, his a fellow Supernatural fan and he liked it and said why don't you write some more and so I did. By the time of me publishing this part I already have 5 more parts to this story that flows in and out at different points through the years of the boys lives. It doesn't just contain Bobby and Dean moments Sam and John are involved too and I enjoyed writing all of it. So dear reader if you like it let me know and I will publish the rest. But enough from me let's get on with the show…**

**_Part 1 Genesis_**

"Hold your goddamn horses I'm coming." Bobby Singer would never forget that sunny Tuesday morning when he heard someone banging down his front door not yet seven o' clock in the morning. It was the day that Bobby's life was going to change and it changed the moment he opened the front door and looked at a man not much younger than himself. He was tall built like a bad ass truck and looked like a whole world of trouble, a man that didn't care about his appearance, dressed in dirty jeans, work boots and a brown leather jacket that had seen better days hell the stranger standing on his doorstep looked like he had seen better days. And the first thing Bobby thought was that it was too damn early for this and he said it too.

"Fella not for nothing, but this better be important."

Bobby's surly disposition didn't have any effect on the stranger the man stepped out of the doorway and turned pointing at the driveway.

"Car trouble, saw your sign on the way in figured you could help." He pointed at a black 1967 Chevrolet Impala Bobby lifted the peak of his cap off from his forehead to get a better look at the car it was a thing of immaculate beauty and the early morning sun danced across the black paint making the car shimmer. The stranger might not have cared about his looks but damn did it have no reflection on the car whatsoever.

"Nice car." Bobby said stepping out of his house onto the porch the stranger turned and smiled and whispered "Thank you." Saying it like a man who often received compliments regarding the car he appreciated the compliment but had heard it often enough that it no longer had any real effect on him.

"What seems to be the problem?" Bobby asked following him down the stairs heading to the car. Bobby couldn't resist the urge to run his hand across the gleaming hood of the car.

"Rattling noise out of nowhere just for the last 20 miles or so I'm heading to Wichita can't afford a break down after this nothing but open road ya know." The man said and Bobby's eyes fell on the car's number plate KAZ 2Y5, Kansas plates the man was a long way from home.

"What's in Wichita?" Bobby asked because he was curious as to why anyone in their right friggin mind would head out there to the armpit of the universe riding on there own free will.

"Just some business." The man replied and Bobby wanted to know what kind of business but he didn't press the issue any further.

"You want to start her up?" Bobby said lifting the hood of the car.

"Sure thing." He opened the driver's side of the door the door's hinges creaked and cried with age. The car's engine sprung up to life roaring like a beast it brought an immediate smile to Bobby's face but he also heard something else the rattling that didn't belong there in the baby's purr. He lifted his head out from behind the hood and looked at the man who leaned out of the car letting the engine run.

"You hear that too?" He asked and Bobby nodded.

"Lemme get some tools."

As Bobby collected his old beaten toolbox he thought he heard the man talking to someone he thought that was impossible because he hadn't seen anyone else inside the car. And when he got outside he realized why he hadn't been able to notice the stranger's companion before it was a small boy maybe just a little older than four and when he laid eyes on Bobby he immediately darted behind the man's legs clutching a fist full of the man's dirty jeans as he hid away.

"Whose your buddy?" Bobby asked.

The man looked down behind himself and smiled. He leaned down and tried to pry the small fists from his jeans but the boy wouldn't budge wouldn't give up the security of the fabric in his hand. Bobby saw the defiant shake of his head.

"This is my son Dean." He said. "And I'm John, John Winchester." He struck out his right arm at Bobby holding his hand out. Bobby rubbed grease and dirt off from his hand against his shirt and took John's hand shaking it.

"Robert Singer folks call me Bobby."

"Nice to meet ya Bobby."

"Right back at ya." Bobby put the toolbox down and opened it in front of the car. "Nice to meet you too Dean."

Dean peered out from behind his father's legs at the mention of his name and looked at Bobby with suspicious eyes and when Bobby looked right back at him with a smile he quickly hid back behind the comfort and protective shield of his father's body.

"Not a big talker." Bobby said scratching around in the toolbox.

"No, not since his mother died." John said looking down at his son who had buried his face in the back of his father's knees.

"Sorry about that." Bobby said and meant it.

"Yeah me too."

"Well let's see what the problem is here." Bobby said leaning into the hood.

"You wanna wait in the car?" John asked Dean who shook his head without looking up.

Bobby didn't have a lot of kids who came around his home but the few that had been around there especially the boy children who thought the junkyard was a theme park, they would be off in the direction of the hundreds of broken cars climbing into empty shells of cars pretending to drive the cars throwing around steering wheels as though they were actually driving down some racetrack but not this kid, no Dean Winchester looked out of his comfort zone and worried about it.

"This rattle you been hearing could be a couple of things I think it could be a out of tune carburetor."

"How do you fix it?" John asked.

"I'll show you hand me a socket wrench will you." John went scratching around the toolbox and pulled one out passing it to Bobby.

He worked on the carburetor throwing his weight and energy into the movement and even Dean had come out from his hiding spot and was watching with acute interest.

"That outta do it, fire her up." Bobby said and John went back around the car and Dean didn't follow like expected he stayed there with Bobby watching quietly and right as rain the engine fired up and the rattling noise was gone.

John got out smiling.

"What do I owe you?"

"On the house."

"You sure?"

"Course."

"Well we best be heading out thanks for the help I appreciate it." John said.

"Nothing to it…hey like you said earlier after this there is nothing but dirt road all the way out to Wichita how about some breakfast?"

"You don't have to do that." John begun to say and Bobby thought he wasn't doing it for him he was doing it for the small boy who looked to lost and confused no one his age should ever look or behave that way. It just wasn't right.

"It's just some breakfast just some bacon, eggs, coffee what do you say."

John looked down at Dean.

"What do you think Dean? You want to stay for something to eat?" Dean looked up at Bobby thoughtful weighing up the idea and then he turned to his father and surprised both men by nodding.

"Then were staying, let me get Sammy."

"Sammy?" Bobby asked and was surprised when John pulled a sleeping baby out of the back seat.

"How many more you got back there Winchester?" Bobby wanted to know and John laughed holding the baby to his chest.

"This is it sir."

"Well lets go inside then." Bobby held out his hand to Dean whose first instinct was to shake his head and run to his father but he changed his mind about it and reached out accepting Bobby's hand and Bobby led him up the staircase into the house.

"Hey Dean I got someone I want you to meet." Bobby said leading him to a box and inside the box was a small Rottweiler puppy who yawned and yelped for attention. Dean's face broke into a smile and John realized he hadn't seen that smile in a long time not since that night when Mary died. "You like puppies?" Bobby asked and Dean nodded. "Of course ya do, I ain't never met a boy in my life who didn't." Bobby pulled the puppy out of the box and handed him to Dean who the puppy immediately licked at and that produced a laugh out of the small boy.

"His name is Rumsfeld." Bobby said. "You play with him okay and I'll get us some breakfast John come on through."

John followed through to the kitchen sitting down at the table cradling Sammy on his lap looking at Dean who was become quick friends with Rumsfeld.

John shook his head in wonder.

"What?" Bobby asked.

"He hasn't been himself ever since what happened to his mother and then you just kind of unlocked him. I haven't seen him this happy since, since well you know…" John's voice trailed off.

"If you don't mind me asking, and I know it's none of my business hell we just met five seconds ago but what happened to her?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Give me some credit and try me."

John looked at his son and decided to take a chance on this man he barely knew only because he had succeeded in making Dean smile again. He told him the truth about Mary about the night he had seen her pinned to the wall and the fire, the brightest most devastating fire he had ever seen and he waited, waited to be called crazy.

"Whatever you have waiting for you in Wichita can wait." Bobby said

"Why?"

"Because that noisy Impala brought you to the right place friend."

"Do you believe me then?" John asked incredulous.

"Yes and I can help you find the thing that killed your wife."

**A/N Thank you for reading and don't forget if you would like to read more of this story just drop me a message and I will publish the next part. Which I can let you know will feature a little older Dean and Sammy than the ones we met in this part, okay Sammy had like no lines in this one and played no real role but in my mind's eye he was super cute and was made out of fluffy butterflies awww and I promise his got some lines in the next installment and of course some more Bobby! Take care and again thank you for reading.**


	2. Part 2 Here comes trouble

Before we get started thank you for reading and being interested in the story, as we all know it's one thing to sit quietly in front of you computer and knock out the words for yourself and it's a whole new ball game when you throw the story out to a whole bunch of strangers. Scary! You worry if it will be liked by others, if its good enough etcetera I'm sure you know what I'm talking about so it means so much when you read and say nice things about the story. THANK YOU. Now on to business firstly to Katy M VT…if your reading this you made me laugh with your comment about Rumsfeld that's going to be a very old dog by Salvation or maybe Bobby just names all his dogs that. I laughed because I had my own hang up's about the dog being around for so long for this story but I figured ah screw it Rumsfeld is going to be a very supernatural dog who just keeps on living it up!

On to the story…hope you enjoy I certainly enjoyed writing it…

**Part 2 Here comes trouble**

"Dean Winchester!" Bobby screamed at the top of his voice thundering down the rows upon rows of broken cars in the junkyard, if he found him he was going to wring his neck.

"Boy if you don't come out right this minute!" Bobby warned

Just for a few days John had promised, when he asked Bobby if the boys could stay there, but as with all John's promises this one turned out to be just as empty as a cemetery at night.

Days had turned into weeks and not a word from John who was chasing a vengeful spirit all the way up in Alberta, ordinarily Bobby didn't mind watching them hell they gave him something to do and truth be told he loved having them around but with the days stretching on the boys were getting restless especially Dean, Sam was easy, you could give the kid a book some paper and crayons a TV to sit in front of and he was downright cozy but not Dean oh no, the kid he just needed trouble in his life needed to do something that was totally forbidden. That was the Dean Winchester way.

"Dean I know you're out here I heard the god damn gun go off!" A gun. Bobby couldn't believe it. Dean all eight years of him had actually taken a gun from Bobby's arsenal and fired it out here. Not once not twice but so many times Bobby had for a minute thought he was under attack, that is until Sammy, sweet little Sammy had told Bobby without much guilt or worry for that matter that his brother had taken a gun and some bottles and ammo and was going for some target practice. Saying it like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Dean!" Bobby bellowed and finally the eight year old came out from his hiding place. Eight. Where did the time go? Seemed like it was just the other day when they first met and he was this quiet baby who couldn't say a word, so traumatized by the death of his mother he'd retreated into a quiet place and refused to emerge from it and now? Now you couldn't get him to shut up.

Bobby tried to look as angry as he felt but dammit, there was something about this kid that always got the better of Bobby, it was hard to be angry at him even now standing there with a Smith & Wesson handgun dangling at the end of his hand. Dirty and freckled face looking like he was made entirely out of mischief.

"Sammy ratted me out." He said with disgust handing the gun over.

"No Dean the gun fire ratted you out what did you think there was a silencer on this thing and I wouldn't hear it? Have you completely lost your marbles boy?" Bobby grabbed the gun out of his small hands, hands that were supposed to be holding crayons, pushing toy cars around, hands that are meant to be playing with water pistols not to be handling actual firearms containing actual bullets for crying out loud.

"What's a silencer?"

"Nothing."

"If I had a silencer you wouldn't have heard it?" Dean asked way too precocious for his age.

"Yeah something like that." Bobby said not really wanting to divulge any more information regarding it. Dean was far to eager to soak up this type of information soaking it up like a sponge.

"Awesome." Dean paused. "Do you have one?" He thought about it and then said. "Can I try it?"

"No I don't have one!" Bobby shouted. "What are you nuts you're a child your not even supposed to be shooting guns children your age are shooting at bottles with catapults what if you hurt yourself."

"Okay number one." Dean held up one small finger. "Whatsa catapult?"

"And two." Two small fingers went up. "I am not dumb enough to hurt myself with a gun I know what to do dad showed me." Jesus Bobby thought his eight years old he sounds too old he doesn't know what a catapult is but he knows pistols from shotguns he knows about ammunition what the hell have you done with this kid John Winchester you dumb bastard.

"Your too smart with that mouth of yours." Bobby looked at the broken bottles meters away and thought of giving the kid it to clean up as punishment served him right, then it dawned on him each bottle was shattered.

"How far did you stand when you shot at the bottles?"

"Right here."

"And you shot all of them?"

"First try too…I'm a good shot dad says so." Bobby wanted to enforce a lecture about how this was not something to take pride in because right now Dean was brimming with it looking bigger and older than himself. Again John Winchester seriously what have you done.

Sam walked up to the two of them followed by Rumsfeld who had grown into a huge monster of a dog he scared people with his appearance alone, but what they didn't know was that he was really as meek and mild as a day old newborn puppy.

"Your in trouble." Sammy sang and the word trouble came out sounding like _twubble_ instead, Sam was still having a little difficulties pronouncing his r', Mary coming out sounding like _Maly_ instead.

"You told on me didn't you little bitch." Dean said running his hand through Sammy's hair messing it up much to Sammy's annoyance.

"Uncle Bobby!" Sammy complained as Dean laughed. "He keeps calling me that." Bobby bent down to Sam's height pulling the boy close to his side and whispered something in his ear that made Sam turn to him with a smile that ran from ear to ear. And then Sam turned to Dean.

"Jerk." Sam said with a wicked grin on his face folding his arms in front of his chest.

"Uncle Bobby?" Dean asked amazed. "Did you just tell him to call me that."

"That's what you get for shooting my gun son."

"Jerk!" Sam shouted again with delight and Bobby couldn't help but laugh at that too.

"Sammy stop it." Dean ordered but Sam wouldn't give up the brand new word and it rolled off from his tongue like a wave. Jerk, jerk, jerk, jerk he said over and over again pointing at Dean with small fingers.

"Not so fun when you're on the butt end of the name calling now is it Dean?" Bobby asked.

"Bitch!" Dean added for good measure lifting his brother to his height tickling Sam in the crook of his arms until Sam cried with laugher.

"Okay, okay enough you two idjits, Dean put your brother down." Dean put Sam down and reached out and got in one last tickle that had Sammy laughing all over again.

"Will you show me what a catapult is?" Dean asked.

"Better yet I will show you how to make one and then we can have lunch."

Sam slipped a hand in his brother's holding onto tightly and stood up on tip toes to reach Dean's ear and whispered in it.

"Jerk" One more time.

"Bitch." Dean said with a smile and then he looked up at Bobby.

"And after lunch will you show me your silencer Uncle Bobby?" Dean asked straight faced.

So that's it for now did you like it? Hope you did. I will put another part up tomorrow. And one more thing I had a little looksy in my documents which are a absolute mess because some parts of these stories were typed out nicely and neatly at my desk some were written on my commute to work on the bus by hand, man I wish I had a laptop, so what I have gathered from all the mess of papers is that I have around six more parts of this collection to share with you. Again thanks for reading and take care.


	3. Part 3 Fighting a losing battle

Hello there. I bring you part 3 ta-dah! I'm going to say this again but thanks for reading the story and letting me know what you think about it. Your love for it is keeping me motivated and I just love hearing from you. Before we get started someone asked if what I called a catapult in the previous part was a slingshot? Yes that is correct! I'm from South Africa and we call it a catapult out here and as a child I learnt how to make one from tree branches and rubber tubing. Sounds crazy doesn't it believe me I cannot believe I actually ran around with one who me and a catapult? NO WAY and just so you know I was a terrible shot!

**On to the story and thanks for all the reviews and the advice you guys are seriously awesome and I mean that.**

Part 3 – Fighting a losing battle

"Look what I made." When Dean said those words to Bobby, the old man furtively

hoped that Dean would take out of his duffel bag something he had made for a school science project, something innocent, something like maybe a baking soda volcano, but of course Bobby Singer should have known better.

Dean pulled out a sawed off shotgun instead and raised it for the man's view, holding it up proudly, like a first time father holding up his newborn baby, at least Bobby thought it wasn't a bomb although, it might as well have been.

"What do you think?" Dean asked desperate for a seal of approval, Dean liked to pretend that he didn't care what other people thought of him or what he did, but he cared very much over the opinions of his father of Bobby of Sam. He wanted them to proud of him even if it was for making a sawed off shotgun. Bobby found it a little bit more difficult to place praise on the eleven year old for his newest achievement.

"That's." Bobby couldn't find the right words to say because he was kind of lost for words here. "That's good but..." And he saw Dean roll his eyes at the word. _But_. He shook his head annoyed and put the sawed off back in his duffel bag.

"Don't say it Bobby." He no longer called him _Uncle_ Bobby, and Bobby couldn't remember when exactly the word had fallen from the boy's vocabulary all he knew was that Dean had showed up one day and stopped using it entirely like it was second nature like he had never said it before. It was just another sign of how Dean was growing up way too fast.

"Dean." Bobby said in a voice that pleaded for understanding, they were heading down the same rough road again, a road Dean was sick of riding down.

"I just wish you weren't so gung-ho about all of this you know, you're just..." Dean didn't wait for him to finish the sentence it was the same old song and dance and Dean knew the moves and lyrics by heart already, knew exactly where this conversation was heading.

"A kid!" Dean shouted. "I know that how can I forget that when you keep reminding me you know what never mind." Dean shook his head. "Sorry I showed it to you."

"I know there has to be something else you want to do with your life beside hunting." Bobby said softly.

"See that's where your wrong there is nothing else I want to do with my life I can't think of anything better to do with it."

"Your young and your seeing it like it's one of those action movies you like and you're gonna be some sort of superhero but its not like that not by a half shot. People get hurt you will see things that won't make you sleep at night you will do things that you won't be proud of." Bobby said desperately wanting to reach Dean, touch a nerve somewhere in the boy's make up and just make him think.

"Why don't you want me to do this Bobby really my dad don't have a problem with it, it's just you that's always against it you scared I'm going to be better it then you?" Dean asked with a grin.

"Oh there is no doubt in my mind that your going to be better at it than me your probably going to be the best damn hunter this world has ever seen." Dean smiled at that triumphantly. "But." Bobby whispered and the smile slipped right off Dean's face and he rolled his eyes again.

"You keep doing that eye rolly thing your eyes are going to roll right out of your head boy." Bobby said. "Now as I was saying I am against all of this hunting business for you because Dean I want something better for you and I don't." Bobby struggled to say the words he reached out and gripped Dean's shoulder tightly.

"I don't…" Bobby smiled sadly. "I just don't want to see you get hurt that's all."

Dean felt a lump grow in his throat that made it difficult to breathe he swallowed hard and looked down at his feet unable to find his voice unable to look Bobby in the eye, his own father had never said this to him and it surprised him how much that actually meant coming from someone.

"Hey." Bobby whispered reaching out and he cradled Dean's chin in his hand and lifted Dean's face so Dean had no option but to look at him with eyes shining with imminent tears. "This life, this hunting business, it's not a game son I've seen good people die good strong men who were three times your size heck twice your daddy's size men that looked invincible like they were unstoppable like nothing on this planet could shake them I saw those men die at the hands of evil you think you know Dean because of all the stories your daddy keeps telling you but you, you don't have a clue of what it's really like out there and when I keep going on and on telling you not to accept all of this so foolhardy its because I care about you and I worry some god awful thing will happen to you too. It may not seem like this to you now but you got other options and I want you, no, I'm just asking you to please think of other options before you jump into this, will you do that for me?" Bobby let go of Dean's face.

"Why do you care so much about what I do with my life?" Dean's voice broke and what Dean really wanted to say was why do you care so much when my father doesn't.

"Because kiddo when I first met you, you were this shy quiet little guy and I thought you deserved a whole lot better than you ever got handed to you and I've never stopped believing that."

"If I become a hunter will you be angry at me?' Sounding for once like the child he really was.

"I'll be a little bit disappointed and I won't ever say it because I'm not the vindictive type but angry?" Bobby ran a hand through Dean's hair. "Nah, I could never stay angry at you. Remember that time you went shooting bottles out back with my gun?"

"Yes sir." Dean smiled at the memory so vivid and clear in his mind like it was yesterday, out back with the Smith and Wesson with Sammy who was so small then and that was when they started to calling each other bitch and jerk, Dean's smile grew even bigger cause they still did it even if there father told them not to, they would probably keep doing it till they were grown ups he figured.

"Did I stay mad at you then?" Bobby asked.

"No sir." With a shake of the head.

"And I coulda you know but I didn't because were family right." Dean nodded

"A messed up family." Dean said with a small laugh.

"Messed up families are far more interesting than the normal ones dontcha think?"

Dean nodded again wiping at his eyes.

"I'll think about it…" Dean said. "I'll think about what you said."

"Promise?"

"Yes I promise."

"Okay I think we both had enough sharing and caring for one day what do you say to some pie?"

"Is that even a question?"

**That's all for now folks, what did you think? Hope you liked it. I really do because that would just make my day because as I'm typing this it just started raining outside of my window which is not making my day and I'm so not impressed I was supposed to go have lunch in the park I'm so sad now…But enough from me and thanks AGAIN for reading and take care.**


	4. Part 4 Acceptance

**A/N I bring you the next installment of the collection! Thank you for reading and for the encouraging words in your review guys they keep me motivated and make me absolutely nervous too because I want to keep you entertained and excited about the stories hope I do that here.  
**

**Part 4 Acceptance**

"It's nothing." Bobby knew Dean well enough to know that with Dean nothing usually really meant something wasn't right. "Really." Dean said with conviction but Bobby wouldn't have any of it.

"He killed a shape-shifter." A small voice piped in the voice belonged to Sam.

"Sammy!" Dean shouted across the room where Sam was supposed to be asleep on the couch. Sam's head popped up a head in dire need of a haircut or at least a brush Dean thought.

"What?" Sam asked innocently. "It's all you've been talking about for the last few days you wouldn't shut up about it and now…"

"Keep your mouth and go to bed." Spoken in the commanding voice of a father addressing a disobedient child, instead of a sibling.

"But Dean..." Sam whined.

"I said now."

"Fine." Sam got up from the couch pulling the blanket up along with him, dragging it behind him on the floor as he headed for the staircase and he turned around at the foot of it pausing.

"And." Sam spoke up loudly for their benefit. "His quitting school." Sam stuck his tongue out at Dean with defiance and skee-daddled up the staircase taking the stairs two by two before Dean could get another word in.

For a long time neither Bobby or Dean said anything and silence hung in the air. It was Bobby who broke the ice.

"Well this is turning out to be a very interesting night."

"I'm gonna go outside." Dean said and he walked out throwing the door closed behind him, he sat himself down on the front steps of the house and Rumpsfeld came wandering over slowed down by age he found his way to Dean and immediately began licking at the young man's hands.

"Hiya boy!" Dean said pulling the dog's big head in both his hands. "Whose a good boy? Huh who?" The dog lifted his head and slobbered all over Dean's face. Acknowledging that he didn't think Dean was so bad himself.

Dean heard the door open behind him but didn't bother to turn around.

"He always did like you, ever since you met, he was just a pup then and you were what? Four, five?" Bobby whispered closing the door behind him.

"His getting old." Dean said rubbing the dog's head in his hands.

"And you're growing up." Bobby sat himself down beside Dean on the porch.

"So." He whispered.

"Your first kill." Bobby held out a beer towards Dean who turned and looked at the bottle like he didn't know what it was or what he was supposed to do with it then he looked up at Bobby.

"Too young to drink remember." Dean pointed out and Bobby shook his head with a laugh.

"Your sixteen years old, your father is away from home ninety nine percent of the time and you expect me to believe you haven't had a beer in your whole entire life? Boy do I look like I was born yesterday?"

Dean smiled in the dark and somewhere crickets made a noise.

"Maybe I had one or two." Dean conceded still smiling.

"How about more than that?" Bobby asked still holding the beer out at the end of his hand to Dean and he took it but didn't open the bottle he held the cold beer in his hand.

"Fine Bobby." He said. "Maybe I had more than two."

"What happened?" Bobby asked.

"About? The shape-shifter?" Dean wanted to know and Bobby nodded.

" Sam shoulda kept his mouth shut."

"What was it like?" Dean shook his head looking out at the junkyard, at his feet Rumpsfeld circled a few times before deciding to settle down, he curled himself into a ball resting his head on Dean's shoes.

"Do you really want to know?" Dean asked.

"Yes I really want to know."

Dean weighed up being honest. He looked at Bobby and thought it would be okay.

"I haven't been able to sleep a decent night's sleep since…keep having nightmares about it keep hearing her scream when I shot her with the crossbow. It was a woman and that's part of the problem."

"You know it wasn't really a woman not in the true sense of the word."

"I know that, but it looked like one you know and it didn't look like a monster it just looked like this really ordinary lady and it begged for its life and you know what dad always told us." Dean stopped talking he thickened his voice doing his version of John Winchester. "Don't you ever lay a hand on a girl or woman you got that! You treat them with respect boys!" Dean said full of bravado and Bobby smiled at Dean's John impression.

"I kinda had a hard time telling that to my brain, that it wasn't a woman when it sure looked like one…maybe if it looked like a monster and not so human then it wouldn't feel so bad ya know but I don't know" Dean sighed. "Guess you were right about all of this so this is the I told you so part so go ahead, go on and say it, I told you so Dean."

"Wow. What's really surprising to me right now is that you actually listen to a word I've ever said. Thought in by the one ear out by the other was more your style." Bobby said trying to make light of the situation.

"Ha ha, very funny."

Dean twisted the cap off the beer bottle and tossed it across the yard but still didn't drink from the bottle, at his feet Rumpsfeld lifted his head and followed the sound of the cap bouncing off from the ground until it stopped and the dog put his head back down with a whine.

"So what are you going to do?"

"About hunting? I'll keep at it." And that was something Bobby had not expected to hear.

"I don't understand your upset about it you can't sleep after one kill and yet you're going to just keep going and your quitting school and do this fulltime?" Bobby said surprised.

"See Bobby the way I saw it was it scared me it really did I won't lie to you man. I got separated from dad and being out there alone in the woods in the dark with this evil thing I was so scared I wasn't going to walk out of there alive. I mean I know dad was there somewhere but I felt alone, never felt so alone in my whole entire life and it came at me and I killed it. Me I did it. Alone. And afterwards we burned the body out there me and dad and Sammy was asleep in the car and I was sitting there watching the fire watching the shifter's body go up in smoke and I started thinking other kids my age are worried about proms, about girlfriends, and dating and making good grades for college and I really don't identify with any of that stuff and what was I doing Bobby? I was cremating my first kill stopping something evil from hurting other people. And even if it scared me I'm accepting it, all of it."

"Why?"

"Because I know what's out there the monsters are real and I can't just pretend that it don't exist and try to get some apple pie life, because I know I have to do something about it. Knowing makes me responsible for it."

"No it doesn't."

"Yes, yes it does because it's my duty. I know what you think you still think I'm just a kid but this hunting it feels like its my calling like I'm supposed to do this like this is who I am supposed to be you should learn to accept it Bobby and maybe that is a lot to ask from you and I know you worry about me and that means a lot to me really but..." Dean looked up at the heavens staring at the stars and then turned to face Bobby. "I was born to do this, this is my destiny."

They didn't say anything for a while just sat there listening to the sound of the crickets and the dog's soft breathing.

"What did you rehearse that speech or something? Cause it sounds premeditated son." Bobby finally asked and Dean burst out laughing.

"Oh you better believe I rehearsed that."

"Well." Bobby said. "If this is what you want and this is what your gonna do I ain't go no choice but to accept it I guess."

"Thanks Bobby that..." Bobby cut him short.

"Hold your horses their hotshot. I'll accept it on one condition."

"I'm listening."

"You promise me you will always be careful out there."

"Yeah of course."

"Say it, I wanna hear the words." Dean sighed and raised the beer bottle in his left hand to Bobby and held his right hand over his heart.

"I promise you Robert Singer that I will always be careful."

"Now was that so hard?" Bobby asked knocking his beer bottle into Dean's.

"You never make it easy old man."

"Careful who you call old." And Dean smiled.

**Again many thanks for reading! And just so you know this has been to date my absolute favourite part what do you think about? Let me know. So until next time keep well and take care.**


	5. Part 5 Rage and Love

Hope you enjoy...

**Part 5 Rage and love**

It was after midnight when he woke up, thinking he could hear the Impala outside the house, he turned his bedside lamp on rubbing at his eyes with the palms of his hands and glanced at his alarm clock.

12.18.

He heard the car's engine being turned off he was right it was the Impala. Delivering the Winchester's unannounced of course as was the usual deal.

Bobby pushed the blankets off from himself, steadied himself up on tired legs and made his way downstairs it occurred to him then that no one had actually knocked at the front door yet which was kinda suprising and certainly unusual.

Bobby turned the lights on in his home as he made his way through it, finding the switches exactly where he knew they would be in the dark.

He pulled back the curtains at the front door window and stared out and looked at the Impala but couldn't really make anyone out the only view he had of the car was of the back seat and no one was climbing out of her.

Great he thought.

What now?

The moment he opened the door cold air snapped at his warm skin making him shiver. Making him wish he was still wrapped up in bed. It had been a harsh, long and cold winter that played havoc with his arthritis. Bobby longed for summer for warmer days. For days when the sun would be up long before him.

He walked down the front steps and the wood creaked beneath his feet.

One lone figure sat in the Impala's front seat.

Bobby walked around to the side and knocked on the window. Dean looked up at him startled and started rolling the window down slowly.

"What gives?" Bobby asked leaning in to the car when the window was completely down. Bobby's warm breathe making smoke puffs in the cold night air.

"I didn't want to wake you, I was just gonna stay out here till morning." Dean explained.

"Bang up job you did with that." Bobby tapped his hands on the car. "This monstrosity of yours will wake the dead."

"Don't listen to the grumpy old man baby." Dean said to the car's dashboard stroking the steering wheel affectionately.

The car now belonged to Dean, a handing over process from father to son that appeared to have just been a matter of the right kind of timing, Dean coming of age and then acquiring his ticket to freedom, a driver's license.

"Well you woke me up so are you planning on getting out or you want me to put a invitation in the mail?" Bobby asked.

Dean shook his head and began rolling the car window back up and got out of the car cautiously Bobby noticed. Favoring his right side Bobby saw Dean winch as he straightened himself up he saw that Bobby had seen it and he forced a smile. Dean threw the car door close and again a flash of pain whipped across his face which he bit down. Bobby felt fear creep up on him slowly.

"It's nothing." Dean said at the look on Bobby's face and Bobby smiled without much warmth or humor.

"Of course." He said in a tone that told you matter of factly that he didn't believe it was nothing not for one goddamn minute.

The two of them made there way up the stairs and into the warmth and comfort of the house.

"You got any whisky?" Dean asked sitting himself down slowly, slower than usual. Care in the movement care not to further cause discomfort to whatever was causing him pain, pain that seemed to be emanating from his chest. He sat down holding on to the right side of his ribs and put on that face, the mask of the great pretender. The everything is just fine and freaking dandy face when actually a Chernobyl like meltdown was happening.

"You drink to much. I'll get you some coffee instead" Bobby said turning the kettle on and he noticed Dean was looking around the place, eyes everywhere all at once. "Who are you expecting to see? And why are you alone Dean? Where's your father, where's Sam?"

Dean looked at Bobby and that mask of bravery slid off his face completely and revealed true anguish.

"I'm looking for Sammy." He whispered. "Please tell me his here."

"His not here. I haven't seen you boys since back in Detroit with that werewolf." Dean shook his head that was months ago, too freaking long ago. Damn it.

"Dean what's going on?" Bobby demanded.

"Sam ran away two weeks ago he and dad had a argument one night the usual crap, dad then left on a hunt when I woke up Sam was gone. He'd taken some clothes money…Bobby?" Dean sounded much younger than his years, sounding like a very small, petrified child that needed to be reassured that everything would be okay. "I've looked everywhere for him and nothing…What if something's happened to him? Something bad he could be in a hospital in a coma somewhere…Bobby what if his dead?"

"Hey!" Bobby shouted. "Calm down his not dead okay his a Winchester that counts for something and his resourceful he can look after himself cause you taught him how to do that. Dean you'll find him and his going to be okay." Dean didn't look like he believed him and Bobby gripped his shoulder.

"You got that?" He drilled.

"Yeah I got it."

"Why didn't you call me? I could have helped you look for him."

"I thought I could do this on my own I thought I could find him and no one needed to know. Thought I knew him well enough to know exactly where he would be…but his done a real Houdini on me. When I find him I'm going to beat the crap out of him." Bobby smiled he knew Dean would do no such thing he loved his kid brother way too much to ever harm him. "You must be sick and tired of us Bobby always coming here with our problems."

"Well in case you haven't noticed I ain't got much of a family to speak of, you boys and your daddy is the closest thing I got and you know I don't mind. Speaking of which does your daddy, does he know about Sam?"

Dean didn't say anything for a while face blank and pale he stared the floor and then nodded.

"He came home yesterday from his hunting trip." Dean said. "And when he found out?" Dean was unable to finish the sentence his words drifted off into nothingness. Leaving his words hanging in the air. Shaking his head with dismay as he replayed the events of the day before in his own head. Having to tell dad Sammy is gone, dad's thundering reply to that revelation had been, _"What the hell do you mean his gone?"_ And there was no satisfactory answer Dean could offer, nothing that was acceptable enough to assuage John Winchester's drunken fury. And then in uncertain terms the equivalent of hell had broken loose.

Bobby's thoughts put two and two together, Dean showing up here in some sort of discomfort, holding his ribs that look of pain on his face when he sat down. Dean saying it was nothing.

"Dean did he? Did he hi…" Even Bobby couldn't comprehend the severity of what he was suggesting might have happened between the father and son.

Dean looked up at him eyes cold and empty.

"Don't." He ordered. "We got to find Sam…Dad thought it would be a good idea if we split up his out in Flagstaff and I'm just wasting time sitting here got to hit the road again sorry for bothering you especially at this hour shoulda just called you instead you know and save myself the trip but I really thought he mighta been here."

Dean got up from the chair one hand automatically going to his rib cage and again that slap of pain across his face.

"Dean if he did something to you." There was venom in Bobby's voice.

"Goddamn it Bobby I said don't!" He shouted grabbing the Impala's keys from the table. "Just leave it okay please…it's my fault his gone he disappeared on my watch, should have watched him better. And I have to find him that's all that matters right now. Got to find Sam."

"Wasn't your fault and you know that, you can't blame yourself for something Sam's done and neither can that idjit of a father of yours."

"Yeah listen I'm going now I'll call you if we hear anything." Dean said walking to the front door when his phone began ringing he patted himself down feeling for it in his pockets and he found it and flipped it open.

"Dad?"

Bobby watched as Dean's face went from grim to sweet joyous relief and Bobby sighed inwardly. Sam was fine. Thank god.

The rest of the conversation on the phone was one-sided John doing all of the talking from the other side of the country and Dean hammering out his mandatory, _yes sirs and no sirs _with force.

"You were right Bobby dad found Sam and his okay." Dean said with a smile snapping the phone shut when the conversation was over.

"That's great I'm real glad his okay." Bobby said "But what about you?"

"What about me?" Dean asked confused.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Don't worry about me Bobby." Dean said.

"Easier said than done kid."

**A/N After watching episode 5.16 and seeing Dean's disbelief that Sam would consider running away as a happy memory I just couldn't let that go. I kept thinking about that moment and wondering so what did your father do when he found out Sam ran away while you were supposed to be watching him Dean?**

**Maybe my version of events is a little extreme and believe me I was very uncomfortable around the idea that John actually struck Dean notice in the story I don't actually come straight out and say it? Bobby never says the words and neither does Dean admit to it. I just leant toward the idea and I did that purposefully because I figured you could make up your mind about it dear reader, did John really hit Dean or did things just maybe get a little out of hand here, you know a push a shove and Dean falls awkwardly injures himself? I personally will go with that one because I cannot for the life of me picture John hitting his kids even in a drunken stupor. And that is mainly because I am totally against that type of thing it sits ill with me and rightfully should.**

**This was difficult to write I won't lie to you I even thought of skipping this part but I thought you know what just put it out there and hear what everyone else has to say. So pop in say what's on your mind. Love hearing from you.**

**But for now gotta go guys I promise there will be another update sooner than soon. Thank you for reading, for reviewing, for adding this story to your favorites list and for being interested in it, it means so much to me. Take care of yourself and keep well. **


	6. Part 6 The first cut is the deepest

**Hello everyone another chapter of the story sorry it took a little longer than expected to update this one you know real life work no fun...hope you enjoy...lets go!**

**Part 6. The first cut is the deepest**

Bitch and jerk, the two obscene words had across the years become their nicknames for one another, sometimes spoken affectionately, sometimes used in a chiding, teasing manner and often it was said with great annoyance, but mostly the two words one would never really associate with warmth was spoken by the brothers with a great deal of love.

Dean couldn't remember exactly for the life of him who had actually started it, or how it had come about, he suspected though that the blame laid at his door for getting it rolling and of course he was right, it was the type of mischievous thing Dean expected from himself, but on this day it didn't matter who started it or why it had come to be, what really mattered was that he would just about give anything to have Sammy across the table from him right now at this very moment, with his head hidden in a book and say to him, hey bitch how's the research going and Sammy would look up at him annoyed with that long hair of his hanging in his face and call him a jerk.

Good times.

Yeah, Dean would just about give anything for this moment to transpire. And that depresses him even further because there is no way it's going to happen and all he wants to do is take out his phone and call Sammy and say hey man what's happening, You okay? And if he ran out of things to say he could always ask something dumb and useless like hey how's the weather where you are? Or he could ask, hey how's the chicks up there?

He just needs to hear Sammy's voice, and above everything else what he really needs to know is that wherever Sammy finds himself, his doing okay.

But he can't bring himself to make the phone call, instead he just stared at the book in front of him realizing he hadn't read a single word from it since opening it nearly an hour ago. All his thoughts were about Sammy. Being at Bobby's home made Dean feel even more melancholy than usual.

Too many things here reminded Dean of Sam he expected his brother at every corner where he used to be, where he should be and that just bloody hurts even more.

_Damn it Sammy why did you have to go?_

Bobby slid a sandwich in front of Dean and a cup of coffee. And Dean began to say something about not being very hungry.

"I'm sorry, was I asking you if you were hungry?" Bobby asked pointing at the food. "Clean that plate."

"Or what no dessert?"

"Something like that smart ass." Bobby said pulling the chair back and sitting down across from Dean.

"Who's my dad on the phone with?" Dean asked listening to John's voice coming from somewhere inside Bobby's home.

Please not another job Dean thought, he just needed a little break catch some zzz's it felt like they had been working non stop since Sam left. Like his father didn't want to stop for a moment and have nothing to do but sit around and deal with Sam's departure and admit to the hurt it had caused him. No, John had no time to be dealing instead he was busying himself with work.

"His talking to Jim, looks like a job for you guys down in Louisiana. You ever been down there?" Dean shook his head. Unbelievable. Another job.

This was turning out to be some kind of consecutive record of hunts for them.

"Nope never been down there, funny that, a place I've never been to feels like I've been everywhere." Dean said absentmindedly picking up the sandwich from the plate raising it to his mouth then stared it and realized he was still unable to eat, he put the food back on the plate.

"When you don't eat I know something is wrong and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's really bothering you Dean." Bobby whispered. "He just went to college ya know. Like millions of other people do all the time."

Dean listened to inside again making sure his father was still being distracted by the phone call.

"We are not other people. And it's not just going to college it's the beginning of the end that's what it is." Dean said.

"Ooh melodramatic, should I go dig out a violin?"

"You know what bite me." Dean said and Bobby smiled. "I know what your trying to do, trying to soften the blow, oh it's just college, but what it really means is the life we had is over his gone to college and he'll get some huge chunk of freaking normal and now it's just me and dad." Maybe not even me and dad, Dean thought.

"You can't hold it against him for wanting something more for himself for wanting more out of life then hunting you can't hate him for that."

"I don't hate him Bobby it's just that…" Dean shook his head pushed away the plate of food from in front of him.

"You miss him." Bobby said as fact he didn't wait for Dean to admit or deny it. "I know he misses you too."

"Then why hasn't he called?" Dean asked angrily.

"Oh please, get off your high horse their hypocrite." Bobby said. "Have you tried calling him?" Bobby demanded and Dean didn't have anything to say in response Bobby had him good on that. So he just kept his mouth shut.

"It's a two way street and now your both to prideful or uncomfortable or whatever the hell you wanna call it to make the first move but sooner or later one of you idjits is gonna have to be a man about it and take that first step before this distance just grows and keeps growing. And let me tell you something else the more time passes the harder it's gonna get to make that phone call. You think it's difficult to call your brother now? Think what it will feel like in months or years."

Dean could still hear his father on the phone and he turned to Bobby.

"Dad wishes it was me who left. He hasn't said it but I know what his thinking." Dean whispered.

"Do me a favor and stop talking out of your ass, you don't know what your father is thinking right now, no one does because he hasn't said a word about it, kinda reminds me of someone else we both know." Bobby said with a wink of his eye.

"I don't know who your talking about."

"Denial huh? Fine play it that way." Bobby said with a shake of his head. "I don't know why I have to tell you this but your father loves you, and you know that."

"Not like he loves Sam." Dean retorted and Bobby wanted to let loose again but both of them heard John stop talking on the phone and they both fell into silence and a moment later John walked into the kitchen.

Smiling.

Only happy when his hunting Sam used to say and it sure looked that way now Sammy, Dean thought.

"Got a job vengeful spirit haunted house pretty straightforward salt and burn gig." John held a piece of paper out to Dean with an address scribbled out on it, in John's cat scratch handwriting. "You should take it."

"Alone?" Dean asked confused.

"Yeah alone, your old enough dude and besides I got something else I need to investigate. This is like I said before; pretty straightforward but if you're not up for it…"John let that hang in the air and Dean read the address again without paying much attention to it.

"How about I tag along?" Bobby suggested and Dean looked at him expectantly that didn't sound like such a bad idea.

"Nah he can manage on his own." John said. "Right Dean?" Dean thought if I say no he'll think less of me. And it was the kind of thing Dean couldn't live with not from John. Even as he sat there looking at the Louisiana address not wanting to do it alone he said what he believed John wanted to hear what would make John proud of him. The willing and capable soldier.

"Yes sir I can handle it." He said with a touch of doubt in his voice that he matched with a smile as fake and artificial as the bowl of fruit that sat in the middle of the table. He couldn't help but wonder would this happen if Sam was still around? Would John actually let the two of them go hunting together all by there lonesome then?

John's phone rang interrupting Dean's thoughts. He told whoever he spoke to, too hold on just one second and he turned to Dean.

"You can start heading out." Throwing out the order vicariously and then

he spoke into his phone again. "Where was I." He said to the caller and walked out of the kitchen. Dean got up from the table scrapping the chair hard against the linoleum floors.

"Can I get this to go?" Dean asked about the sandwich.

"You don't have to go right now just because he says so there's plenty of time before night fall." Bobby said feeling that sickening grip on his heart whenever he heard how John could just rip out orders and have his children dutifully follow them without question.

"You sound like Sam." Dean said. "You don't have to jump just cause dad says so Dean." Bobby nodded, he thought Sam you are so bloody right kid, it was the damn truth, but he didn't say it instead he picked up the plate with Dean's uneaten sandwich sitting on it.

"I'll wrap this up for you get some coffee in a flask, I want the flask back though."

"What is it a family heirloom or something?" Dean joked.

Bobby gave him a look which said unequivocally, don't test me. Dean smiled lifting both his hands up in defense.

"I will return the sacred flask." Dean said with a dramatic flourish.

Bobby prepared the coffee and handed the flask out to Dean when he was done.

"Just because his asking you to do a hunt on your own don't mean crap, don't you start reading between lines where you got no business reading. You got that." Bobby warned.

"If you say so." Bobby could hear from the tone of Dean's voice that he had in fact made up his mind about it already and nothing was going to shake that belief system now. Not even Bobby's voice of reason.

"Be careful out there." Bobby said.

"Promised you I always would didn't I."

"Yeah well you got a ugly habit of having selective hearing. And don't you go breaking those girls hearts down there in Louisiana."

"Probably will huh?" Dean said with a laugh as Bobby walked him outside to the car.

"When you going to call your brother?'

"I'll get to it." Dean said unlocking the driver's side.

"Remember what I said about waiting to long.'

"I know, I know." Dean looked at the house one last time hoping his father would step out of it to see him off but he didn't and Dean climbed in the Impala.

"And Dean…" Bobby began to say as Dean fired up the car's engine.

"If I run into any trouble I'll call you. Promise." Dean said.

And Bobby smiled that was exactly what he was going to say.

**A/N. I will have the next part up in a day or two she's all written out just needs to be edited and beaten the crap out of then I will put her up.**

**Until next time hope you enjoyed this installment, thank you for reading and reviewing, just so you know it's been a blast writing these stories and I hope I'm keeping you entertained.**

**In November I'll be taking on the Nanowrimo again I don't know how many of you know about it or enter it but in November its that time of the year when crazy people across the globe decide to write a novel in one month I am one of the crazy people and writing these stories have been a great workout for the upcoming madness! By the way maybe if your wondering I actually completed my novel in last year's Nano which was my second attempt we'll see how this year goes.**

**Keep well and be good to each other.**


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